How To Choose Your Wedding Breakfast Menu

Choosing you wedding breakfast can sometimes be a bit of a headache. Couples can find the recess stressful trying to meet everybody's dietary requirements and personal tastes whilst making sure that guests leave with full tummies and rave reviews about the food. In this post I share with you my top tips on how to choose your wedding breakfast menu to make sure that your guests leave satisfied.

Before starting out make sure you have decided firmly on your budget. Little changes in your wedding menu can result in big changes in cost - especially if you are having a large wedding. You might think that including mints with you after dinner coffee are a good idea but are you happy to spend an extra £80 on the idea?

If you are booking your venue and caterer separately then I suggest that you start looking into your cater wrong provider as soon as you have signed for your venue. Caterers often get booked up quickly with some being booked over a year in advance. Make sure you don't leave this job to the last minute and pencil this into your diary. If you have catering provided by your venue then you will often be contacted by the wedding coordinator 3 or 4 months before the wedding to discuss the menu choices and to arrange a taster session.

Tip: Some venues will only allow approved caterers due to exclusive contracts. Check that this isn't the case at your venue before booking your caterer!

Often venues and caterers will invite you a "taster evening" which allows you to sample some (if not all!) of the items available on their menu. The meal is to help you in your decision process and to exhibit the quality of the food on offer.

When thinking about your menu think about season produce. By choosing food that is season you can keep costs lower than if you choose to have food with ingredients that may be harder to obtain for example asparagus in and strawberries in. Plus Food that is on season is often at is best and full of flavour!

One of the most important things that you should consider if the dietary requirements of your guests. Yes some people are plain "fussy" but others have medical conditions for example coeliac disease or religious beliefs that must be respected and considered carefully. Most caterers and venues are well practised in catering to specific dietary requirements. If a venue does not often prepare food for special requirements then it might be helpful to direct them to literature online (for example Coeliac Assocation UK) or ask the relative in question to chat with the caterers to avoid any confusion.

Do you want a sit down meal or a buffet style banquet? By having a buffet there is no need to compromise on the quality of the food. This is often a cheaper choice as less service is required. If you are thinking of a buffet, speak to your caterer about the amount of food. Running out of food for your guests doesn't go down well; some chefs suggest ordering 10% more food than estimated to ensure that your guests are full and satisfied.

Another thought you may have is to incorporate the theme of your wedding day into your wedding breakfast menu. An example of this might be deciding to have a British fish, chips and mushy peas for you seaside themed wedding or to have a French delicacy for your Parisienne themed wedding.

Think about including the story of your relationship in your food. If you fiancé exposed to you whilst you were on holiday in Spain then how about a tapas style starter? If you are proud of your Irish heritage then how about having soda bread with your soup instead of a crusty roll? You can hint to these personal touches in your printed menu if you so wish to.

In days gone buy many couples opted for roast beef or a breast of chicken with steamed seasonal vegetables. Times are

Changing and now many couples are getting more creative with flavours and including their love of food in the decision making process. Get creative and think of ways to incorporate your favourite tastes and flavours into the menu!

TIP: avoid extremes of flavour for example very spicy food such as a madras curry or very sweet ingredients such as pineapple or coconut milk.

Don't forget about the kids! If you are thinking of inviting children to the wedding then make sure that you cater for them. A child's palate may not be as adventurous as your own and feasting on your favourite Baileys cheesecake might make them feel pretty sick! You don't have to opt for bangers and mash, think outside the box a little for example posh pizzas cut into interesting shapes with yummy toppings.

The traditional wedding breakfast menu is a sit down meal after canapés provided at welcome drinks. Three courses are usually served with a starter, main dish and dessert. When choosing your menu most venues and caterers allow for one choice for the whole party with the option to include an additional vegetarian option. If you wish to offer multiple menu options then this can often increase the cost of your wedding breakfast. If you are unsure then make sure to check with your wedding supplier.

Some of the most popular choices...

Starter: tomato soup

Main: breast of chicken

Dessert: profiteroles

The Starters

Think about the time of year you are holding your wedding. If you are getting married at the height of summer you might opt for a light refreshing crisp salad dish and conversely of you are holding your nuptials in winter a homely tasty soup with bread roll might be a better choice.

The Main

Main menu options often include meat or fish. Accompaniments are usually vegetables or a starchy carbohydrate like pasta or rice. Most couples always choose a vegetarian option. One of my main pieces of advice is to spend as much time choosing the vegetarian option as the standard option. My future mother in law Is a vegetarian and she says that she is often disappointed with the bland and boring food that is often plated up at weddings.

The Desserts

Some people decide to dish up their wedding cake for dessert and this is a great option if you are looking to save some cash. Again think of the time of year; a summer wedding might benefit from a dessert of delicious icecreams and mousses and a winter wedding of a great occasion for classic warm British desserts with custard.